Chapter 144: Returning to School
For Li Hongji, being able to hire Tang Xiu could be said to be already a good and happy occasion, a blessing that was bestowed by the heavens. He was quite satisfied after having gotten Tang Xiu’s answer as he said with a nod, “If anything, I’ve already prepared an office for you, and you can use it after you come.”
"Alright!" Tang Xiu said.
Li Hongji said with a smile, "Then, I’ll no longer disturb you.”
Tang Xiu sent him off and asked his mother while holding the certificate portfolio, “Mom, where are Banshou and the others? How come I haven’t seen them?”
Su Lingyun said with a smile, "I told them to go back. I’m a married woman here in this courtyard. It’s quite improper if those big boys are to accompany me here everyday. Besides, the hospital sends two nurses to take care of me and my needs every day. They are already enough.”
Tang Xiu released his Spiritual Sense and found that Banshou and Dingzi were still around and stayed in the nearby corridor which made him secretly feel satisfied. Then, he said, “I got it. Since Mom is alright, then I’ll go back to school now.”
“Well, Xiu’er, you must study and review well. Do your best to pass the test to a famous university.” Su Lingyun quickly spoke. What concerned her the most was her son’s study and academic issues.
"Rest assured, Mom!” Tang Xiu gave his guarantee and smiled. Then, he left the hospital.
At Star City First High School…
Han Qingwu was sitting in her office with an angry expression all over her face. By now, Tang Xiu’s leave of absence had been due, and it was time for him to go back to school. However, that fellow had yet to come to school today. She really could not figure out as to why he hated to stay at school. Even if his grades were good, but he should also understand the truth that “the weapons should be whetted before going into battle, and even if the weapons were dull, it would also be able to shine”.
“Um? Teacher Han, you didn’t have lunch?”
The other class’s teacher-in-charge who came back to fetch his key, found Han Qingwu still in the room as he immediately smiled and asked her.
"I’m already full with anger!" Han Qingwu replied with a foul mood.
"Huh? What’s the matter?" That teacher-in-charge was surprised.
Han Qingwu knew that she was losing her manner when she spoke just now. She quickly said, “It’s not any important, it’s just only one student. Teacher Li, you’re going to have a lunch, aren’t you? I’ll go to the cafeteria and meet you there later.”
"Alright!"
That teacher-in-charge could tell that Han Qingwu did not want to talk about this topic, so he immediately nodded and left.
"Knock, knock..."
A few minutes later, the office’s door was knocked…
Han Qingwu looked up toward the door. She instantly jumped from her working chair as she saw that it was Tang Xiu who stood outside. She suddenly walked toward him and fiercely shouted, “Tang Xiu, are you still a student or not? We have obviously agreed that you have to attend the class today, no? And you just came now? Do you know you were absent from morning class?!!”
Tang Xiu helplessly said, “Teacher Han, you’re way too angry. Could you calm down and hear me out first? You can speak again after that, okay?”
Han Qingwu angrily replied, “What? You still got things to spit out to justify your class skipping? Break your fingers and count for yourself. Since the last time you were hospitalized to present, how many times have you attended the class?”
Tang Xiu shook his head and said, “Teacher Han, you put me in Class 10 because you trusted me. Certainly, that’s also because we have some mutual affections. Have I ever shamed you ever since I entered Class 10? I did have very important things to take care of that made me unable to attend the classes. I know that I’ll face the College Entrance Test soon; and I do know the priorities of the matters, which one is more important and which one is less important. Therefore, you don’t need to always stress out that I was running away to ditch school.”
Han Qingwu angrily snapped, “Then, you used the trust I gave you, so you can indulge yourself?”
Tang Xiu emphasized, “If I were to condone myself, I could have asked the school for my leave of absence. Moreover, even the principal would have no reason but to approve if he knew the reasons for my leave of absence. Your heart is shrouded with your anger right now. That I can understand. But I hope you put it down and hear me out for my explanation. Besides, you’re the teacher-in-charge; the one who are responsible for the class. Shouldn’t you have this kind of spirit and conduct?”
In her extreme anger, Han Qingwu was instead smiling as she pointed at Tang Xiu and said, “Well, well, well, since you said you got justified reasons, I’ll hear you out. Do spit it out!”
Tang Xiu raised the portfolio of documents in his hand and slowly said, “I’m too intelligent, and studying is way too easy for me. So, I’ve been rummaging some medical books to pass the time. Some time awhile ago, when the school gave me a week of vacation, I went to Jingmen Island and accidentally saved someone due to circumstances. The person was a little girl with a strange illness, and that little girl’s mother had taken her daughter to visit famous doctors everywhere. Even the President of Star City Chinese Medical Hospital was at a loss and was unable to cure her.
During the time when my mother was hospitalized, the President of Chinese Medical Hospital, Li Hongji, knew the matter about me curing that little girl. He personally invited me, hoping that I would be able to work for the Chinese Medical Hospital. He even gave me extraordinary benefits for it. But since I have no intention to become a doctor for my future life, I declined and turned down his offer.”
Han Qingwu said with a sneer, “You fabricated it, again and again…”
Tang Xiu forcefully handed the portfolio to Han Qingwu’s as he said, “Whether you believe it or not, I did turn down his offer. But he did not give up and pleaded repeatedly. Finally, I gave him my word that I’ll give medical services in the Chinese Medical Hospital after I attend the College Entrance Test. But you do know that hospital doctors need to apply and be tested to have their medical practice certificate. And this, this is the certificate he helped me to get.”
Han Qingwu opened the portfolio with a skeptical expression. But when she saw the seal on the certificate that was issued by the Health Bureau, a look of disbelief filled her eyes.
“You… is this certificate real?”
Tang Xiu took out his mobile phone and scrolled Li Hongji’s number. Then, he handed it to Han Qingwu and said, “This is the phone number of the Chinese Medical Hospital’s President. If you don’t believe it, you can call him now to confirm and verify my statement. In addition, if you have doubt about this number, you can look for his number through your contacts yourself to verify it whether it’s the same or not.”
Han Qingwu looked at the phone number and was silent for a moment. Her furious smile and face slowly faded as she looked at Tang Xiu and said, “I won’t make any calls to verify it. I choose to believe you. I won’t delve more further into your class-ditching this time. But you are not to ask for any leave of absence again later, and stay honestly at school to study and review your schoolwork.”
"I promise!" Tang Xiu said without hesitation.
Han Qingwu asked, "Then your evening’s… "
Tang Xiu said, "Two nights before, I have given Yuan Chuling and the others the remedial make up for their lessons. I believe you’ve already asked them about that. If you think that I don’t need to give them any more tutoring, I’ll also comply to that naturally, so I won’t have to leave and give them the tutoring at night.”
Han Qingwu said, “I’ll give you the vacation.”
She was not a fool. She did inquire about the result of Tang Xiu’s private tutoring on the make-up lessons for Yuan Chuling and the other three students. The results made it hard for her to believe it, since the four of them praised Tang Xiu and stressed out that they benefitted greatly from it. The Class 10 that she was in charge, was not the class for top students, and their academic performances were also only average in general. If Tang Xiu’s remedial plan was really effective for them to face the College Entrance Test, maybe their scores would really improve by a lot.
Tang Xiu took back the portfolio from Han Qingwu’s hands and spoke with a rising tone, “Teacher Han, I just told you that the Chinese Medical Hospital’s President originally invited me to have lunch together, but since I refused, I have yet to have a meal, so I’m starving now! I’ll leave you with your work as I’ll go to the cafeteria to have lunch.”
"I am coming too!" Han Qingwu immediately said.
Tang Xiu replied with confused expression, “Didn’t classes just end? Shouldn’t you have already had your lunch?”
Han Qingwu snapped at Tang Xiu and snorted, “I was too full because of my anger for you, how could I have the mood to eat? But now after hearing your explanation, just say that I can accept those reason of yours, so my anger also has disappeared. Since I have yet to eat, don’t tell me that I’m not hungry too!”
"Eh…" Tang Xiu let out a forced smile and shook his head.
Shortly after, Tang Xiu and Han Qingwu arrived at the school’s cafeteria. And they suddenly became the focus of attention of countless teachers and students, causing quite the sensation.
“Heavens! Isn’t that Tang Xiu? He has skipped school for so many days and he unexpectedly came to school today? How come the school hasn’t kicked him out? This bad rotten apple?”
“Man, I really wanna punch that kid. He even lines up with Teacher Han, and seeing that they brought their meal from the kitchen to the table, they should be having their lunch together, right? Damn, Teacher Han is my goddess, how could she have lunch with Tang Xiu?”
“Although Yuan Chuling and Cheng Yannan have spoken a lot of good things about him, but I still think that this kid isn’t that good. And Teacher Han is really blind to have lunch together with him.”
“I’m so damn envious. This is too hateful. Teacher Han has never had any meal together with any men in the cafeteria. This damn brat unexpectedly has such a good fortune. This really makes me furious. How come it’s not me having lunch together with Teacher Han?!”
"..."
No matter in his previous life or in this life, for numerous times was Tang Xiu exposed and suffered from others’ attention. Therefore, he just ignored those pairs of eyes with curiosity and anger. He looked behind him at Han Qingwu, who was busy carrying her meal from the kitchen to the table, and paid them. Naturally as it should be by rights, he chose to accept it.
He just considered it that it was his compensation after she reprimanded him!
Tang Xiu giddily sat at the opposite of Han Qingwu as at the same time he picked up the chopsticks and was about to eat, a lot of thoughts filled his mind.
When he had only eaten half his meal, Yuan Chuling, Cheng Yannan, Xia Wanfen, and Li Xiaoqian rushed in a hurry to the cafeteria.
“Whoops! I did wonder who could have such a good fortune to have lunch together with Teacher Han! And it turned out to be you, Eldest Brother! I did say that you might have come back. Anyways, we went to your house yesterday, but you unfortunately weren’t there and we couldn’t even get through your phone. So, about tonight, you won’t ditch us again to be hanged dry under the sun, right?” Yuan Chuling sat down next to Tang Xiu as he wrapped his hand around Tang Xiu’s shoulder.
Tang Xiu pushed his arm and lightly said, “Yup, we’ll continue our evening session.”
A bright light flashed from Cheng Yannan’s eyes as she excitedly said, “It’s good then! We’ll be there on time. And we’ve already prepared all the third years’ textbooks this time.”
Tang Xiu nodded and said, “Got it. If you have no other things to say, you first go back to the classroom! I’ll be back after having finished my lunch.”
"Okay!"
Cheng Yannan nodded. Seeing that Yuan Chuling looked like he was about to talk again, she pulled him directly and walked toward the outside of the cafeteria in big strides.
Han Qingwu’s eyebrows were raised as she slowly said, "Wow, I didn’t expect that you’re quite welcomed and accepted! I hope that your tutoring to make up for their lessons is really effective!”